Bruce and Connie Oyler said their water has been this way since they moved in to their home in the Pebble Glen subdivision, located off of League Line Road by Lake Conroe, in July 2002. But their water company, C&R Water System, has told them nothing is wrong with the water, Bruce said.

"I've had it yellow. I've had it brown. I've had it sludge," Bruce said about the water. "You never know what you're going to get night to night. I'm tired of it. We can't drink the water. This has been a constant problem. I'm not going to accept this anymore. I'm going to call my state representative and my congressman. I'm going to have something done."

Rick Wagner, C&R Water System owner, said the brown color is caused by iron in the water.

"The water has been sampled, and it's always been good," Wagner said. "It does have iron and magnesium, which can give it the brown color, but it's safe to drink. There's no way dirt can get in the line."

Bruce, however, said he does not believe the brown water is caused by iron. He had a bathtub with dirt in it from the bath his wife tried to take to prove that dirt is in the water line.

The water comes from the Evangeline Aquifer, which is a subdivision of the Gulf Coast Aquifer.

The water also has been a constant problem for Wayne and Debbie Harryman, who live next door to the Oylers. For three years, the Harrymans' water bills stated they were using 100,000 gallons of water a month.

"I was paying $400 to $600 every month for three years," Wayne said. "There's just no way I could use 100,000 gallons a month."

The couple argued with the water company for three years before C&R Water System replaced their water meter six months ago, Wayne said. The Harrymans water bill now averages $200 a month.

The dirty water has caused further headaches for the Harrymans. They constantly fix their dishwater and ice machines.

"Our appliances are always breaking down," Wayne said. "They just clog up with the contamination in the water."

Bruce said he has to change his water filter every 30 days because of the amount of dirt that comes in through the water line. He said a water filter should last up to 90 days.

"There's something behind all this," Bruce said. "They can't tell me I should have dirty water and pay for it."

The Oylers and Harrymans said they have complained to C&R Water System about their issues.

Wagner said the company has not received any complaints. He said the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has tested the water and the agency found no problems with it.

"We always give excellent service and we have a reputable name," Wagner said.

Terry Clawson, TCEQ spokesman, said water samples from the Pebble Glen subdivision in March 2004 were "a little high" in iron.

"That was the only problem we had with them recently," Clawson said. "We have no enforcement action against them. Their sampling looks fine."